Getting back out there

STOCKTON - The line of job seekers curved around the outer wall of the Stockton Arena beneath the palm trees Thursday morning.

Zachary K. Johnson

STOCKTON - The line of job seekers curved around the outer wall of the Stockton Arena beneath the palm trees Thursday morning.

Job-hunting uniforms ranged from suits and slacks to jeans and T-shirts to at least one man sporting a Raiders jersey.

Some seekers clutched folders or manila envelopes containing résumés, credentials and references they hoped would impress at least one of the employers gathered inside for WorkNet's annual job fair.

Celeste Moore, 39, of Stockton was at the front of the line.

"They said the early bird gets the worm."

She'd arrived at 6:30 a.m. The job fair opened at 10, although military veterans and the disabled were allowed to enter early.

It has been two months since Moore was laid off from her position as a support staff member at a residential drug-treatment center.

She said she'd been working in health care for 15 years but was ready to try something new.

"This is my first time branching out. I'm going to look at everything, because you never know."

Moore and the employment seekers went onto the arena floor, first hitting tables from resource centers like WorkNet that offered training and workshops.

Moore was interested in a job inside the state's prison health care system. She wasn't qualified for all the positions available, but she thought her background would give her a leg up for others. Among positions that stood out to Moore were health records technician and medical transcriber.

She moved down the line of tables, acquiring plastic bags stuffed with forms and fliers.

The number of people looking for work right now can be daunting, she said. Organizers said about 3,700 job seekers turned out Thursday.

"When you first see all the people, it's like: 'Oh, my God!' "

The feeling of being overwhelmed lessened as she began talking and meeting with employers, she said.

"They're actually telling you how to get the job," she said.

Moore, who has three teenage girls attending McNair High School, said she was shocked two months ago when she lost her job.

But the shock subsided, then it was time to start looking for work, she said. "You can rest for a minute, but get back into it, ... or you can get depressed."

She said she liked the job fair, because it convinced her there are jobs available for people willing to do what is necessary to get hired.

"If you want that job, get out there and go get it," Moore said. "It's not going to come to you."

She took the forms and applications she collected and headed to a table in the arena to begin filling them out.